


Kindred spirits

by novicescribe



Category: Junjou Romantica, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-03 17:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5299964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novicescribe/pseuds/novicescribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Misaki is wandering around Marukawa Shoten, minding his own business when he hears a familiar voice: that of Iljuuin Kyō, the last person he wanted to see. Trying to escape the unexpected nightmare scenario he bumps into an equally unsuspecting - and three times as tired - Onodera Ritsu, setting a *very* weird sequence of events into motion. </p>
<p>A story featuring Misaki-Ritsu friendship, attitudes to work and life and to man-man couples - with some rather forced jokes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kindred spirits

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, dear people reading this!
> 
> This is still one of my first stories, so I really don't know what I'm doing exactly. Per that, this story is intended as an experiment in more than one ways: character creation, portrayal and story-telling techniques. 
> 
> First, I'm using a multi-POV solution (an original idea, so far as I'm aware). Thus the viewpoint alternates between the outsider, who describes, Misaki and Ritsu. To make it readable, I decided to use italics to make the points of alternation clear, while I used underlining to indicate the stress in the thought. 
> 
> Second, both the dialogues and the description are prolonged; novel-style or even longer. 
> 
> Third, the basic idea itself is open to contention. 
> 
> For these reasons, any comment would be very much appreciated. If the whole stuff is crap, I need to know it. If it's half crap, I need to know it. If it is not even worthy to be called crap, I need to know that too :)
> 
> On the M/M issue: the story features male-male relationships but not much romance or emotional moments, so people looking for 'true' yaoi should look elsewhere.
> 
> Finally to the meticulous students of detail: as much as I regret it, I'm not fluent in Japanese, thus the names of the original characters were made up in English to look as Japanese as possible. I wouldn't try to translate and write them with kanji though xD. Also, I hope that I've got the Japanese expressions used, right :). 
> 
> Thank you very much for your attention!

## Chance meeting

" **JUST** this one more package, and I’m done!" Takahashi Misaki let out a sigh of relief at the sight of his impending release. It wasn’t like as if working for Marukawa Shoten – a renowned and thriving publishing company – would have been bad. Not at all. There were unpleasantries for sure, notably the danger of incidentally running into Iljuuin-sensei at any given moment. Then, there was the workload, of which he was certainly not spared as a rookie. Quite the contrary. Still, it was all worth, for he could work at a place of wonders. When he had a moment to catch his breath, Misaki usually grabbed the opportunity to peel into the titles – most of them ranked in the top quarter of sales’ lists – Marukawa published and is still publishing. It was like a chest full of treasures. And on days the place where they were created itself felt like a magical den of wonders.

"Awwwww…" Misaki was swept by a thoroughly pleasant feeling as he rode the waves of his daydreaming. He liked all of them. The mangas, the magazines, the paperbacks and the hardcovers. Shōnen and shōjo. Thrillers and romances, light novels and artbooks. All of them…except for certain titles. He inadvertently shuddered. Usagi-san had him read enough of that. Had he not seen any more of those works during his remaining lifespean, he would have been glad. Very much so.

"Baka desu!" – he reminded himself. It was not up to him to decide what job he was to do, that was up to his superiors. He might not even be attached to an editorial department. As an editor, not an errand boy that is. That thought filled Misaki’s heart with sadness. He would have liked to work with manuscripts – which he loved since his childhood – very much. Any genre. He’d even work with _those_ titles doing his utmost to make them great and sell piles of copies of them. He will do his utmost regardless. Yes, he will work extremely hard to show people that he can do the job and that they can rely on him. He will not be the one to let them down. His face took on a resolute complexion as its muscles contracted.

"I will show them." – he promised himself between two heavy breaths as he took a step forward, then another, carrying the package. He was halfway through the corridor, following the glimmering lights. They were artificial of course, still…They’ve had a kind of romantic beauty to them as they brightened the hallways of Marukawa Shoten’s Headoffice on this rainy day. These seemed unusually deserted. While in the afternoon one usually had to pay close attention to avoid bumping into someone, now Misaki could focus on the weight pulling down his shoulders and arms without any outside interference.

"O—o-ne m-oo-r-e step". – he repeated to himself as he pushed his body to move forward. That was when he heard chattering coming from the end of the hallway. He didn’t pay much attention to it, he was far too busy for that. He kept moving forward, one step at the time, his eyes fixed on the floor. The chattering grew louder – it was getting closer. Nothing interesting. He looked up for a moment to measure how much to go was left. Misaki felt jolted as if he’d been just struck by thunder. Somehow he managed to keep the books in his hands. "ILJUUIN-SENSEI!!!" What was HE doing HERE and NOW?!! Misaki’s thoughts were a jumble at the moment.

His head was spinning with thoughts as if his mind was rushing to take the whole world within its grasp. At the same time it felt like as if his consciousness was about to reject the whole of reality in favour of make-believe scenarios, such as he was just dreaming the whole thing. He was obviously in a state of panic, indicated by a roaring heart and heavy sweating on his hands. Misaki had no idea what to do, but a decision had to be made in the heat of the moment, in a fragment of a second. Therefore he unconsciously gave approval to his instinctive reaction that flooded his whole body and loudly demanded attention.

RUN and hide. And so he did. He slipped through the open doorbolt right on his left (thank all the gods indeed that it was there!). He had no idea whatsoever what was supposed to be behind it, but right then anything seemed preferable to the alternative. Misaki pushed his left ear as close to the opening as he dared to in the hope that he would hear what’s going on outside, over the sound of his racing heart.

"Next month we kei – and the style is great, but-ter eye…" The chatter was speedily fading, and the words were hard to distinguish between the distance and the steadily echoing footsteps. It was clear however that the person talking was…Iljuuin-sensei’s editor, whom Misaki met briefly before. Only rarely did an apathetic and barely laudable "yes" or "understood" interrupt the flow of his expressions from Iljuuin-sensei. Misaki felt a bit uncomfortable for a moment realizing that actually he was spying on the two only to wave off the thought by concluding that in fact he was hiding and that any listening in  – however unfortunate it might have been – was only a product of necessity that forced him to prepare just in case the two decided to come his way.

There was no helping it really. Misaki felt an overwhelming sense of relief as the two voices became more and more distant, until barely anything could be heard of them. They finally vanished into thin air. It was time to get back to work, he thought. He took a step back to turn around properly and leave the room – the function of which he still had no idea – before anyone noticed his weird behaviour. With some luck everyone has been so busy with their work –an entirely plausible scenario – that no one noticed him.

"What on Earth you think you are doing?!" – a voice shouted somewhere around Misaki. His limbs grew weary over the excited moments of hiding in the doorstep and the surprise generated by the unexpected calling was just enough for him to completely lose his nerve – and balance. He stumbled around helplessly trying everything in his power to not drop what he carried.

"Jabai…jaba-ii…jab-aaai." He continued to repeat this in his head as panic stuck in. The whole world seemed to be spinning as he tried to regain his control – and failed. After a few heartbeats that seemed like an eternity, he finally hit solid ground as he fell.

"Baka, baka, baka…baka Misaki." The books were scattered everywhere on the floor, a testament to his failure. An utter disgrace. It was only when he heard two voices around him that Misaki became aware of the true proportions of the calamity he so carelessly caused. He saw a tall man with blue eyes and shady dark hair, probably in his early thirties, rushing towards him.

"Are you alright?" the stranger asked as he reached out his free hand (holding a cellphone in the other) to help Misaki up.

"Y-yes." – he managed to blurt out somehow. He probably never felt more embarrassed or useless in his entire life. Especially after he realized that the groans he heard were not his own: they came from the young man who was also busy getting back to his feet – exactly on the spot where Misaki fell and from which he has just arisen.

"Arigatō, Kisa-san" the man said.

"Gomen nasai, gomen nasai" – Misaki said in rapid succession to all the three men standing around him. He truly felt as he were going to die out of embarrassment.

"It’s fine, but are _you_ okay?" – the dark haired young man – apparently called Kisa – asked.

"Yes, yes, I am fine." – Misaki answered, still trying to catch his breath and hold back his tears. He was not going to compound his error by breaking down in tears publicly. He was Japanese after all. No, he won’t cry. He’ll hold up. "I was just on my way to deliver these books" – he pointed to the volumes scattered all over the place – "and I lost my focus for a moment and…"

"I think I bear the responsibility for that. Sorry for scaring you." – the man who helped Misaki up said.

"Ahm…um, I-I…I mean, it was my fault, I’m terribly sorry for causing all this." Misaki said.

"Never mind it." – the man whom Misaki fell on answered. "After all – he chuckled – this office has seen bigger disaster every month." His friendly smile was somewhat distorted by the circles under his lime green eyes and the wrinkles forming on his forehead. He still was good looking, even with the messy state his short brown hair was in. Based on the papers he was photocopying at the time of the incident and his young age, Misaki reckoned that he was a part-timer.

"Hai, hai." the man called Kisa agreed. "It's alright."

"Thanks." Misaki felt a wave of relief as he smiled in heartfelt gratitude. "Please, let me help you clean this up." he said.

"Let's get the work." the green eyed man said. They just began to lean down to collect the objects from the floor, when the tall man excused himself: "I'm terribly sorry, but I still have a cal to make. Once again, I'm very sorry."

"It's fine, thank you." Misaki replied. "That's alright!", the man called Kisa said, his friend nodding in agreement. "Yes? Oh, great. I was afraid you left. It's me. I've been held up..." they heard the leaving man saying. They clean up the crime scene as fast as possible; then he bounces off at once to compensate for his delay - that was Misaki's idea anyway. It was quite nice of the two men, helping him out. It was his fault after all. Frankly, he expected much worse. He didn't even dare to think what would have happened if the same occured with a grumpy boss. Like Isaka-san, the very upstanding and very uptight President of this very Company...or Kamijou-sensei. He shuddered at the thought of either one - doublefold at the thought of both.

"They seem very young." - Misaki wondered about his co-workers. "The one I hit on is about as old as I am, and the other one is perhaps even younger." He recalled how he started helping out Aikawa-san in his first year in college. "It was _nothing_ like this." - he concluded grimly. Collecting went efficiently: per an unspoken agreement they gathered the papers the nice man dropped to one pile, and the books Misaki carried to another. The papers were not anything interesting: sale statistics, interviews with people Misaki never heard of in his entire life and correspondence between the office and others. Nothing to mind about.

"I wanted this for so long!" - a measure of a child's unspoilt joy on Christmas Day rang in the voice of the green eyed man. He was holding a copy of the _Records of the Grand Historian_ , Sima Qian, one of the titles in Marukawa's new series, republishing illustrated classics in an elegant, dignified form. Misaki had no idea as to the contents of the book so he could only smile. "I can get you a copy if you want." he said, looking at the other man.

"I mean, Takashima-san is such a nice person, isn't he? He offered me any one copy I wanted. Shouldn't be a problem. I think." Misaki thought to himself.

Genuine surprise reflected on the face of the green eyed man. Well...surely one doesn't expect a book of his choice to be offered for free everyday. "Uhm...thanks, really. But it's not all that important." - he said. "It just caught my eye a long time ago I suppose I just felt nostalgic."

"Ricchan!" - the dark haired man practically singed. "That won't do. It is unpolite to refuse a gift! Would you want that our office should come under the reputation of rudeness?!" - he exclaimed. There was something very exhibitonist, something...childish about his performance. Still, the point had some validity to it. "Ricchan" was all but happy with that intervention as he shot accusing looks towards the raven.

"Erm...no, of course not. I-I don't mean, but you see, ...that is, I mean..." Misaki felt sorry for making the young man feel uncomfortable. He shouldn't have made the offer in the first place, but he looked so happy holding that book...True, Misaki was not the best social player. He was far too earnest for pretentions and power games. He only wished if he had a way of holding himself back from blurting out stuff that might cause inconvenience to other people. Especially nice people like "Ricchan".

Kisa must have sensed Misaki's unease, for he rushed to comfort him. "It's alright, thank you Misaki-kun." Even his smile was childishly innocent. He apparently regarded the matter settled in a satisfactory manner. His friend seemed to be having doubts as to that - if it was so, he settled for silent disagreement. Meanwhile gathering the dropped items neared its end; most of the papers were already piled up in a tower in good thematic order, while the books were all placed in another pile with a single exception, now in "Ricchan's" hands. He held it for a moment, carefully carassing his fingers around it, a thoughtful expression sitting on his face. Now, that Misaki come to think of it, he's done that to each one of the books he picked up.

The " _Book of Five Rings_ ", " _The Three Kingdoms_ ", " _Journey to the West"_ , the " _Analects"_  and a biography of Itō Hirobumi by Kengi Hamada. Misaki seemed faintly to recall hearing the titles in high school...or Kamijou-sensei's class. He didn't pretend however to have understood much of them. He shuddered as he remembered Kamijou's tirade when he got passed. He didn't say that literature was worthless or repelling, no, he reserved that position for a particular genre which the great Lord Usami Akihiko pursued. It was just...long. Complicated. Tiring. Distant. He still liked them and admire them as great works. But they just didn't feel "natural" to read. Unlike _The Kan_. Now, that was something - a true masterpiece. His favourite manga of all time. The one whose author confessed his love to him, adding considerably to Misaki's discomfort.

It was better not to think about that at this particular moment. Or ever. There was still some chance after all that the whole thing was just a bad dream. Looking at the brunette Misaki concluded with some surprise that he probably felt the same way about these books that he himself felt about The Kan. Misaki decided that it was worth risking another remark after the last blunder. He wished to know more about the man, for whatever reason.

"Have you read them before?" he asked. The man seemed to have been taken aback by the question, but after a moment of hesitation he answered, smiling: "Yes, I liked to read very much every since I was a child. I read a lot in middle- and high school."

"Hai, hai!" - the other one added. "Ricchan is the bookworm of the office!." - he giggled. His colleague left the flattering (or was it?) remark unanswered. Instead, he walked over to Misaki and handed him the last book. "Take good care of them!" he said.

"I will." Misaki answered. His thoughts were already fixed on the matter of how could he get to the office on time. His body however was not allowed to follow his flying thoughts as his musings were abruptly cut short.

"I'm very sorry for my lack of manners. My name is Onodera Ritsu. I'm pleased to meet you." With that, the brown haired man bowed and held out a business card. Misaki hastily tried to find a business card of his own, after taking the other's. In a few awkward moments his efforts were crowned with success when he reached into his shirt's pocket.

"I am Takahashi Misaki. I am very pleased to meet You." Misaki said these words with such speed that it took a moment to catch his breath afterwards. The dark haired man joined the circle of introductions merrily.

"Kisa Shouta. Well met Misachan."

"But Kisa-san, you don't want to frighten Misaki-kun here, do you?" - seemingly it was Onodera's turn to tease.

"Of course not Ricchan." Kisa said. Misaki managed to find another business card. It was somewhat shabby, but he had none better at the moment.

"Pleased to meet you Kisa-san"' he said, holding the card over. He decided that Kisa was probably his senior, as Onodera-san - who surely was - indicated so.

"I'm really glad to have met you Misachan, but work is leaving us no quarter." Kisa said. _"_ **IT** sure doesn't. _Literally_." Ritsu thought.

"I should return there, before the dragon awakens." Kisa said as he slipped Misaki's card into his right pocket. "If you'll excuse me."

" **YES** , yes of course." Misaki said. "Sorry again for the interruption."

"Think nothing of it." Kisa waived his left hand while walking back to the desk he came from.

In all the confusion Misaki didn't really have time to inspect the place. It was a mess. Papers tossed everywhere, pens and pencils on the desk, a cup...on the floor. There were also toys lying flat on the desktop. Misaki had no idea what plusch bears, plastic ducks and some things looking like winged bunnies with magic wands have been doing around in such a place. However on second thought...the place itself had a penetrating aura of weirdness. It almost looked like Usagi-san's room (any one of them) on a good day. Well, if one discounted the overflowing colour of pink. "Luckily, not all offices looked like _this_!" Misaki thought.

" **AH** , sorry about the mess." Onodera apologised lamely. It was almost as if he read Misaki's thoughts. "It is not always like this." "But _always_ like this on hellweeks _."_ he added in his head.

_"_ **I'VE** seen _the_ worst of it! _" -_  Misaki thought with spite as images of Usagi's apartment at various times appeared before him. 'It is nothing.' he said out loud. 'I was just wondering how it could feel to work as an editor.'

_"_ **LIKE**   _HELL_! _"_ \- Ritsu thought to himself. The young man before him however appeared rather earnest. It was not exactly necessary to discourage him by mentioning all the sleepless nights, the malnutrition, the uncooperative authors...and all of this compounded by a demonic boss."It is a well enough job if you like it. We are making books a lot of people like and anxiously await for every month. When you hear fans discuss feverishly something you helped to make, you really that it's worth all the hard work."

Onodera found with amusement the enthusiasm - and perhaps, pride - with which he talked about his work. He had come to think that it was long gone, killed by the lifestyle he conducted as an editor. Maybe there was hope still. Even if this was not literature. That thought made him grin. His answer also seemed to have had the intend effect as Misaki looked more relaxed than at anytime since they've met.

"I'd like to become an editor myself." Misaki said. He was smiling shyly, eyes fixed on the floor. His disposition reminded Ritsu of his own first day at Marukawa. Except for his boss is probably not his high school love - and a slave-driver. Ritsu felt his passion marshalling as he pictured his irritating boss looking stern, cold and commanding, accusing him of incompetence yet again. He felt a feeling of camaraderie for the junior employee.

"Why do you want to become an editor Misaki-kun?" he asked, surprising even himself with the question. Misaki's face lit up like a candle, a particular apple-red reflecting on his cheeks.

_"_ Uhm...that is, I always liked mangas since I was a kid."For a moment he seemed frightened by his own words and hurriedly added: "of course I don't mean to say that someone becomes a good editor just by liking books. I just" - he hesitated for a beat. "I just don't think that there isn't anything else I could do well." **MISAKI**  felt absolutely embarrassed about blurting out such things before a stranger - and one he met for the first time too! It felt wrong...and he felt vulnerable to his core.

"When the masks fall, we ourselves remain." He read that somewhere, long ago. He tried to remember the title of the book, the story...the characters. But strangely enough the only thing he could recall was a scent of clore, reminding him of a wet Suzuki-san. Perhaps it was one of Usagi-san's books.

**RITSU**  watched the struggle of his junior with some astonishment. It wasn't typical for Japanese people to openly show emotion. Though he did so himself time and again on the pressure of a certain someone. - Onodera! Ono-deerra! ONODERA! he already heard the yelling of Takano-san in his head. Perhaps it was a Japanese thing to show emotion in public - if it was anger. Onodera! This time Ritsu heard the stern, solid and deep voice crystal clear, and not in his head.

"What on Earth you think slacking off at a time like this?" Takano Masamune, editor-in-chief of Marukawa Shoten's Monthly Emerald stood behind him. His face was superior questioning taken form. It is doubtfull whether there ever was a Grand Inquisitor with a more threatening expression. Ritsu was inclined to answer with a qualified "no." Judging by the sight of sheer terror on his face, the same was true to Misaki.

"Excuse me Takano-san for the _momentary_ interruption, we just have had a small misunderstanding with Misaki-kun here." Misaki bowed mechanically and with the speed of a whirlwind.

"Hajimemashite, Takahashi Misaki desu."

The editor-in-chief seemed totally uninterested and simply ignored Misaki's presence. Ritsu thought it was to continue. "In clearing the misunderstanding up we have discussed some work."  _Technically_ true. Appeasement however seemed to have no effect on Takano.

"Ha?! Stop making lame excuses for slacking off and do your job finally! With Hatori chasing Yoshikawa-sensei and Mino out at the publishing office, we cannot afford the luxury of half-assed work. Who do you think will take responsibility for the delay you caused?" Ritsu was readily nearing his boiling point at which he should give a piece of his mind to that despot.

"That would be me." -a voice stated in a calm, measured, yet friendly manner. It's owner - the one who in all likelihood just prevented a very much solicited manslaughter - was a tall man, standing on Misaki's left. The grey suit he wore seemed to be of fine quality, but certainly not a top-tier brand. Through the unbuttoned jacket Ritsu spot a silver line, running from one pocket of the waistcoat through a buttonhole - at about the navel's height - to the other. The strange object gave him a déjà vu. He remembered seeing something like that somewhere...the image came like a bolt in a flashback. He saw man wearing pocket watching in such a fashion in an illustrated edition of the _Oliver Twist_ , back when he was a young boy studying in England. Such clothing however was at least sixty years out of the custom. "It's quite...strange." he thought. takano seemed utterly unimpressed, but the tall man _looked_ to have been left unperplexed in the same measure.

"Let me introduce myself." he said. "My name is Fujiwara Kamatari, head of the BL department at Marukawa." Onodera Ritsu nearly dropped his jaw on the floor. He knew what the term meant, having come across it when he did his research on mangas in general, right after he was hired. Having learned of the nature of that particular sub-genre however, he quickly passed over it. As he had not found any such among those hundred that Takano-san gave him, nor in the title storage, he half-consciously concluded, that Marukawa published no such things. All for the best. Now it looked that it had a whole department attending to that one task. Fujiwara-san however seemed quite used to the thought. His long, dark hair matched very well with the deep seated brown eyes as he smiled in a casual manner. He had an aura of restrained confidence around him.

"I can assure you that Misaki-kun" - he looked at the young man next to him, placing his right hand on Misaki's left shoulder as he talked - didn't mean to cause any trouble to you. In fact, the unfortunate interruption is completely my fault, for which you have my humblest apology."

The man standing there, tall and straight like a column, left hand elegantly placed on his back, right hand resting on his chest definitely looked like a butler who just stepped out of the pages of a manga. " **HE** could even take over from Sebastian-san at Usagi-san's mansion."Misaki mused. He knew his boss only for a short time, in fact this was only the third occasion on which he was asked to help him out, but without the easy-going style and friendly manner of Fujiwara-san it is unlikely that he would have lasted in _that_ department.

That one, of all! He could only imagine what the others might have thought when he introduced himself after Isaka-san ambushed and dragged "cutie" to his new workplace. Good thing it was only a temporary expedient. Onodera-san seemed to be as impressed by his boss' unintentionally aristocratic manners as Misaki was. The _other_ man however...Graveyards in the night were more confidence inspiring, than him.

Takano hissed. "Whatever" - he said with distilled contempt ringing in his tone. "Just keep out of my way." For the sake of clarity he added: "We are _trying_ to work here." The mood was positively frenzy by now. Misaki felt increasingly discomforted, standing from one foot to another. Onodera was trying to avoid eye contact - with anyone. Awkward silence sat down, such as smug on a winter morning in Tokyo. The aura failed to breach the lines of casual cheerfulness surrounding Fujiwara-san. Misaki felt worried that he caused trouble to his boss. Sure, Fujiwara-san took the whole issue extremely well, but exactly that was what caused the real unisiness. After all, the last thing Misaki wanted was to be a burden - on anyone. At this point it seemed that the problem ended and everyone could return to doing their jobs. It seemed.

"T-ta-hhhkano-san" the dark haired man - Kisa, was it? - from before panted heavily. "Mino-san called and said that we are not getting an extension. In fact, the printer insists on bringing forward the drop-dead date by three hours!" If the Emerald editor-in-chief previously appeared grumpy, he was now by all standards hysteric.

"WHAT!! What on Earth do they think who are they playing with?" he said, outraged. "Call them back right away and tell them to wait, or I'll personally kick their sorry butts!" By this point Ritsu was fast approaching a state of panic as his own installment was still missing as wwell and the time left was cut even shorter. And Takano-san resembled a volcano about to erupt. He _was_ merciless with people who didn't do their jobs properly - or prevented him from doing his own. The two in his mind probably were identycal.

"I already told them that" - Kisa insisted - "and they categorically stated that it was 5 am or never." Stopping, he hesitated for some reason to continue.

"Out with it!" Takano ordered.

"W-well, it is...the guy at the office said that if we didn't like the terms" he cleared his throat ''Im sorry Takano-san, he said word by word: 'Takano can shove his manuscripts up his a--'". The editor-in-chief looked ready for another outburst. Misaki's uneasiness did not recede, but - as wrongful as it was - he felt grateful that he was no longer in the center of attention. In fact, he only wished the whole calvary to just end as quickly as possible. He was thus surprised seeing his superior taking a step forward. He cleared his throat in a very refined fashion:

"Uhm-hm...gentleman, if I may" - he spoke softly and calmly, but decisively. The sudden intervention caught others off guard as well, and they all turned their gazes towards him in silent expectation. Misaki was amazed, and actually thrilled to see what Fujiwara-san should come up with.

"Please, excuse the boldness of my manner, but in light of the apparent severity of the situation and in order to dissipate any possibly lingering animosity from the incident earlier - at this point he knowingly looked at Misaki - I'd like to offer our assistance.' For a moment the others stood in silent disbelief, not really knowing what to make of the offer. The Emerald editor-in-chief looked annoyed by what he probably regarded as the continuing waste of his precious time.

"You can go over and try to talk them into forgetting what they wanted to do in the first place." - he sneered. "Now, get out of the way!" The matter thus concluded Takano proceded to give instructions on the course of action to be taken.

"Kisa, I want you to pick the three best sub materials you can find." Kisa duly nodded in acknowledgement. "Onodera, get yourself ready to move and visit Mutou-sensei, helping her out on the spot, and picking up the manuscript when you're done."

"Right away."

"I will get in touch with Mino and Hatori to see where we stand exactly." Misaki watched the proceedings with curiosity, rather thankful that the Emerald editing team was entirely absorbed in the crisis, thus ignoring his earlier slip-up - to which Fujiwara-san rather undiplomatically called their attention. Watching the editor-in-chief he wondered if he shouldn't rethink his first impression of him. He did seem to be awfully tempered.

Straightforward, but in a very grumpy way. At the same time however it was obvious that he knew what he was doing and that he could be relied on to see the crisis through. Unlike a certain _someone_ Misaki knew all too well. Seeing how efficiently the editing team worked, he hoped that it will be the same with whatever kind of people he himself will end up with.

**RITSU**  was somewhat reassured by Takano's decisive action. Even so, it seemed genuinely impossible to put together the magazine now on time. They've dealt with crisis before for sure, but never with so many things piling up and coming together just _hours before_ the submission date. "Idiot!" - he mentally slapped himself out of the realm of thoughts. "There is no time for this. 'Theirs is not to reason why, theirs is but to do and die.'" It's been ages since he could read out of passion.

"Don't be a fool! You need any help you can get!" - a piercing voice cut short Ritsu's musings. It was editor-in-chief Fujiwara. "As it happens I have some friends at the printer's office and I can arrange a change in the printing schedule, provided someone can be found to swap with. You would also need assistants to speed up the work, and I happen to have the best ones in the country."

Takano looked less, than peased by the pushy insistance of the _outsider_. He stepped forward thereateningly and said in a slow, menacing tone: "Leave! NOW!" The other man seemed to equal him in stubbornness. The men looked at each other resolutely, neither willing to give ground to the other. Any kind of help would be extremely useful - Ritsu admitted to himself - but it was unlikely that Takano would place all their fates in the hands of someone he has never seen before.

Ritsu himself was disinclined to take such a leap of faith in the dark. They should just get back to their work and hope that everything would end up well. But first something should be done to prevent the dispute between the two editors-in-chief from aquiring a physical extension. Therefore he hurriedly leapt between them in protest.

"Takano-san!" - Ritsu called out firmly - "We _must_ get back to work, or the ma--"

"Oi, Takano!" someone interrupted him - yet again. The voice felt familiar and only a fraction of a second passed before Ritsu figured that it belonged to...Yokozawa-san. Of all people. And he seemed to be in an even fouler mood, than usual. If that was possible, that is.

"What is the meaning of this?'"he more like shouted, than asked. "I've called the printer to check on a book and I learn from _them_ that Emerald _will not_ appear this month?!"

"I have it all under control!' Takano shouted back. Clearly, he ran out of patience."

"No, you don't! You should have told me ages ago!"

"Huh, and why would I have done that; so you could come over and stop me from doing my job?!"

The yelling contests of the two were legendary - infamous might be a better description - and Ritsu himself had the misfortune to have ample first-hand experience of those. Still, he felt positively shrinking as he listened to the two erstwhile friends passionately yelling at each other. Judging by his looks, Kisa felt the same way. Neither of them dared to say anything though. It was the absolute worst! Mature men having a pointless exchange nursery school-style.

Time felt like frozen as if this torment was continue into an eternity. How much time has passed was anyone's guess, but it must have been minutes in the least. Ritsu closed his eyes. This could hardly have been any worse, though at least Takano and Fujiwara's staring contest was not causing problem for the time being. It was still bad. Very. It was actually only Isaka-san missing to thraw lightbolts from his Olympian throne.

"Hello everyone!" Ritsu was totally stuned. This day produced one extraordinary surprise after another. But this was truly unexpected. "I-Isaka-san." - he pronounced rather lamely.

"Onodera-kun!" Isaka Ryuuichiro's tone was as casual and as laden with false friendliness as ever. "Oh my, you always keep getting in trouble, don't you?" The remark was unwelcome, the pat on the back and the giggling accompanying it even more. Luckily, Ritsu was not called upon to answer as Isaka-san promptly turned his attention towards his feuding minions.

"Takano, I hear that you are having some trouble with this month's issue." Takano was just about to part his lips, presumably in preparation of sending this last persona non grata firmly on his way to hell, but he was not given the chance. "Luckily" - Isaka chuckled - "I have the perfect solution for everyone!" with that, he signalled to Fujiwara Kamatari to step forward, followed by two newcomers.

*****

**MISAKI**  could hardly believe his eyes. "Misaki?" Usami Akihiko's always plan expression turned into a very indicative shape for a moment. If he was astonished, Misaki was in fact non plussed. "JUST WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS DAY?!" - he screamed in his head as he felt his eyes routing in the floor. Panic, panic, panic. "Just give me a break oh gods, please." His wish seemed to have been listened to as he spotted Aikawa-san with the group.

"Misaki-kun, it is good to see you again!" she said.

"It is quite the relief to see someone whose smile is genuine." Misaki sighed inside. "And you, Aikawa-san!" he replied cheerfully.

"How fares your new position?" she asked.

"It is very good, I have learned quite a lot." he answered. Then he remembered who was standing right next to him. "In fact, this gentleman here is my boss.' Fujiwara, so far completely absorbed by the confrontation with Takano, and the subsequent amused spectation of his shouting match with the other man Misaki didn't know, turned around swiftly when Misaki gently pulled his forearm.

"Aikawa!" - his eyes widened in surprise.

"Hello Kami!" - she greeted him affectionately. "I wondered when I'd run into you again." she added.

"You know that I'm always around trouble." Fujiwara replied. Misaki stood there astounded. "Kami?! Aikawa-san knows Fujiwara-san? Why didn't she say so? Was I supposed to know that?" he asked himself.

Usagi so far waited in silence. However, Misaki knew his limits. Two more minutes and he'll drop the silent polite act and drag him out of the room to the astonishment of the others. He probably would have done so already, were they not at his workplace. Misaki was determined not to let things come to that point. It was time to finally end this all.

"Uhm...I didn't know that you knew each other." They both turned towards him.

"It's been some time now." - Fujiwara began.

"Ever since I have worked under Kami at the Chrysanthemum department." Aikawa added.

"That is until you got yourself important and got a star author all for yourself." Fujiwara said playfully. Yes, he didn't know that person for long, but this still was a side of his that Misaki's never seen before. Aikawa on the other hand seemed to be familiar enough with it, chuckling slightly.

"I assume, that this is him?" Fujiwara pointed to an obviously bored and not caring Usagi. Funjiwara-san was curiously eyeing Usagi as if trying to figure what to make of him. Instead of adressing him though, he settled for a compliment on Misaki.

"Why, Eri thank you for bringing me such an exceptionally capable young worker." he said, putting his left hand on Misaki's houlder. Aikawa smiled in agreement.

"I'm sure you've done exceptionally, _cutie_!" Misaki really tried his best to be nice and forthcoming with everyone, but some people really strained his efforts. In fact, he felt trouble coming along with the cheerfully smiling company president.

"Lay off Isaka!" Usagi finally decided to step up and put an end to this charade. "We are leaving." he declared in an incontestable tone.

"But why, don't you like the company?" - Isaka gleefully protested. His question was greeted with stormy silence and menacing glare by Usagi. It was probably for the best. Isaka was the first to break away from the staring contest. A special attraction of Marukawa, if today was to be any standard to judge by. "Besides" - he added in a more serious tone - "cutie here has not finished his work for today yet."

Usagi looked questioningly at him. Misaki nodded, confirming that Isaka indeed was speaking the truth. He half-expected Usagi to simply declare "I don't care." and try to drag him out of the room anyway. But he attempted no such thing. That was, when Misaki became aware of an outstandingly loud yelling from the other group some metres away. They all have been so absorbed with their own business so far that no one had the energy to pay attention to the quarrel next to them. Fujiwara sighed. "Pointless." he said to no one in particular. Isaka-san raised his eyebrow.

"What on Earth is that about?" he asked turning to Fujiwara.

"It is my understanding" - the other man replied "that the printer has pushed back the already tight publication date by hours, thus at the present there is some uncertainty as to if Emerald can be published in the intended construction or not." Isaka winced in disapproval.

"I offered the help of Chrysanthemum, but Takano refused." Fujiwara added. Isaka seemed interested in that statement.

"I see. And would your team be willing?" he asked.

"If I ask them, yes." Fujiwara replied. He sounded very confident of that. Isaka was thinking for a moment, apparently trying to make up his mind on what to think about the whole business.

"Alright. Time to have some fun!" he said, at last stepping forward.

*****

Fujiwara spoke up. The usual air of calm superiority surrounding the mighty editor-in-chief of Chrysanthemum was gone. He was calm, at least it appeared so, but there was something about him. Misaki couldn't quite put his finger on it. " **A**  knight without his armour." Ritsu thought..

"I realize that we haven't exactly got off on the right footing." he said, speaking slowly. "For that I bear the brunt of responsibility. My actions were not meant to offend - if they did so, I apologise sincerely." He accompanied these words with a bow, which far from detracting from it, added to his grace. "HE truly is like Sebastian-san." Misaki mused while recalling the figure of Tanaka, the Usagi-manor's butler. Onodera and Aikawa looked sympathetic, Kisa astonished, Takano uncaring, Yokozawa bored, and Isaka-san as if he were totally enjoying himself. In all probability, he did.

"However" Fujiwara continued after he straightened up, resolute now in his bearing. " _We_ (he looked around) are the general population, that is dumb and does only what they are used to doing."

"Oi, WHO are you calling dumb?!" Yokozawa stepped out threateningly. **FUJIWARA**  waved off the objection as if he didn't hear it. "I assume Yokozawa-san doesn't read bakufu documents." he concluded in his mind. 

"Our work is not easy. Work overtime, during nights and weekends. You all know that. Life is something that usually seems to happen around us, but not to us." Kisa looked confused.

"Fujiwara-san" - he spoke up softly - "What is the point of all that?" A valid question. Inspiring speech and all that, but it should have a point. 

"It is" - Fujiwara turned toward him with an encouraging smile on his face - "that our life is hard enough as it is." He turned towards Takano with an almost pleading expression "Don't turn away assistance when it comes free of charge. Please, let met me help." A heartbeat. Takano nodded.

"Alright, but I am in charge here!" There were no objections. Luckily, Fujiwara intended none. "You screw up, I'm going to make you wish that the horsemen of Apocalypse were after you. Understood?"

"It is only fair, yes." Fujiwara replied. Yokozawa was ready to argue the case further. Isaka-san however, wasn't.

"Isn't it wonderful, everyone getting along so well?" He didn't wait for an answer. It was not in his character. "I'll be leaving then." he announced casually. "Takano, you are in charge. Get that magazine out, I have full trust in you. Show your _competence;_ team!"

No one has ever heard Isaka Ryuuichiro raise his tone in anger at work. Yet, everyone was afraid of him. Maybe even Yokozawa. **MISAKI** certainly was. He tried to put on a brave face, but there was something particularly disconcerting...evil, shining in his eyes when he uttered the words "show your competence" as if a Dark Lord told an Imperial officer "Don't fail me!" Maybe only Misaki's imagination was playing with him. Ritsu certainly didn't think so. He always felt a sense of gloom swooping down upon him when Isaka was in company. either way, Marukawa Shoten's company president turned around and hurriedly left the room, leaving the rather patchwork group behind.

On his way out he added: "Oh, Fujiwara-kun, great work with this month's issue! I can hardly wait for it myself." The editor-in-chief of Chrysanthemum greeted the praise with a subdued chuckle - probably picturing Isaka fangirling over BL stories. A thought to make one smile indeed.

"So, what are your suggestions?" Takano asked Fujiwara.

"In the end" - he answered - "it all comes down to time, so we are going to snatch some for ourselves!" he replied.

"Now, that is the Kami I know." Aikawa whispered to Misaki.

"Question is" - Fujiwara continued "how much do we need?" Takano had the answer ready:

"We have three manuscripts ready, two - Yoshikawa Chiharu's and Kaitawa Reika's - are still to arrive. In addition the magazine structure, fillers and backcover are completed, but the front cover is designed by Yoshikawa-sensei as this month's featured author."

"I see. Then we have our tasks clear. Luckily, I'm owed some favours at the printer's office, so I probably can arrange a swap in the printing order, provided we can find someone to change places with." Ritsu and Kisa received the assertion with a good measure of scepticism. Grown accustomed to the intense hatred of the printing office over their editorial careers, they found it genuinely hard to believe that those people are capable of affection - or that anyone would submit before the drop-dead deadline for that matter.

"I think I can help with that." Aikawa said. "Sensei's latest book - she pointed to Usagi - is due to be published tomorrow, with the printing starting at 7 pm and the stores stacked overnight. As the manuscript is ready, with sensei's permission, I think we can safely agree to swap places." That was right. Usagi - for once- completed his work well before the deadline, saying that he wanted to take Misaki to Hokkaido - and now he kept pestering him about it. He certainly didn't appear to care about any of the office bonhomie. Why would he? "As far as he pays attention to people, lifting his shoulders at Aikawa-san's proposal goes a long way." Misaki thought. He was pleased to see the progress made and eager to join the fray, but he had no idea how _he_ could help. Fujiwara was content about the result though.

"Thank you very much, Eri. It's settled then. I will momentarily visit the printing office and make arrangements. But first, I explain the situation to my team and ask them to report to you Takano-san, so they can be sent to either author to help out, as assistants."

"Can they handle themselves?" Takano asked.

"They've been doing this kind of work for years. I trust them implicitly." That answer seemed to satisfy Takano.

"So be it, I'll get in touch with Hatori and Mino."

"I'm on my way then." Fujiwara said. "Call me if anything is needed" he said, handing Takano a business card and receiveing one in return. "Goodbye everyone!" he said, bowing deeply, preparing to leave. He still heard Takano calling out to Kisa and Onodera, telling them to saddle up to leave as soon as possible and bring the necessary papers with them.

"Uhm...Fujiwara-san?" Misaki was much surprised to hear his own voice. He was shaking; voice and body both. He didn't really have anything to say, and yet unimaginably much. "I-I'd like to help. I know that I'm not qualified and I don't want to hold you back..." Fujiwara Kamakari was very much taken by surprise, which clearly showed on his facial expression. However, he admired the selfless earnestness of the young man. He took a hasty look to Aikawa and Takano, trying to read their thoughts on the matter.

"Don't be silly Misaki-kun!" That seemed to have frightened Misaki, but before he could have said anything, Fujiwara continued. "You are a valuable member of the team, and we would be grateful for your help, isn't that so Takano-san?"

"Of course." Emerald's editor-in-chief replied.

"Eri, are you with us on this one?" Fujiwara asked from Aikawa. She grinned in response.

"Someone has to keep and eye on you Kami." she said. Fujiwara chuckled.

"Indeed. Why don't you and Misaki-kun help collect any papers and tools we might need?"

"Got it." she said. Yokozawa, silently observing recent development sighed heavily.

"Ha...I guess I should be going and contact the stores involved with the products to inform them about the changes. Good luck, Takano!" he said.

"Thanks!" Takano replied in acknowledgement.

"As for you" Yokozawa turned toward Fujiwara "if you don't deliver on your promises, you'll wish that you've never been born." Fujiwara seemed undisturbed by the agressive tone."I _will_ deliver." Yokozawa sniffed and left the room. Usagi, for his part didn't look any happier, then the man who just left. He stepped up to Misaki, signalling that he wished to leave. Together. The young one was most reluctant to do just that.

"Usagi-san, it's work!" that was the most convincing argument he could come up with. Naturally, it failed to impress his senior.

"You promised me a dinner. With candles." he whispered into Misaki's ear.

"Crap!" the latter thought, turning red all over the cheeks. He did promise that, just to get off the hook with the Hokkaido trip. "Idiot! NEVER make such promises." His mind was a jumble, but a jumble in quick motion, trying to come up with the right reasoning to convince Usagi to acquisce in the situation. For a moment he looked rather desperately at Fujiwara-san, as if expecting the answer from him. It was a tempting course of action. Very tempting. Expecting the solution from him. For a reason, he couldn't name himself, Misaki chose another option. Grabbing Usagi's upper arm and pressing his face against it, he sobbed:

"Usagin-san...please. I _need_ to do this." It was one of the not many occasions that that expressionless face reflected genuine emotion. taking the young man into an embrace he said:

"Hai." He held onto the young man for some moments. Moments short, but so full of meaning...

"So, Usami-sensei, would you care to join us? I'm sure that we could use your help." Fujiwara's tone was casual, even cheerful as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

_"_ **IN** truth, nothing ordinary has happened today." Ritsu thought. He was touched by the struggle of his new aquintance. For some reason he felt a compulsive need to look at Takano-san, which he did. Now he was doubly embarrassed: once for inadvertently bearing witness for Misaki's moment of weakness and again for producing one of his own. He surely won't forget Takano-san's look, when their eyes met. It was pure...concern. It even looked as if the editor-in-chief was having _him_ on his mind, not their pressing deadline. Or maybe he just imagined it. Three all-nighters in a row and some litres of coffee would do that to anyone. And still...Ritsu mentally slapped himself, pouring the cold water of reasoning on his blazing feelings. Work was pressing after all.

Probably the reason why Chrysanthemum's editor-in-chief decided to finally leave and start off. Misaki, Usagi and Aikawa followed them. Ritsu suddenly became aware of sounds of singing emanating from the corridors. *Come, cheer up my lads, 'tis the glory we steer/to add something more to this wonderful year...* After a moment of sheer shocked state he concluded that it was that man's voice. Fuujiwara Kamikari. Ritsu let out a sigh and lifted his shoulders. "I guess that is the routine today." he thought to himself.

*****

**ONODERA** Ritsu was certainly not the only to be surprised by Fujiwara singing. They walked quietly for a while. The rythm was somewhat soothing, though Misaki could only partially understand the lyrics, given that they were in English. He was very curious to learn about the song, so he asked Fujiwara.

"Uhm, Fujiwara-san?"

"Yes?"

"What was that song you were singing?" Fujiwara smiled.

"I understand that it's an old British song. My boyfriend taught me."

"BOYFRIEND?!" Misaki was jolted. He even stopped his movement. "What does he mean by BOYFRIEND? AND HE'S OKAY WITH SAYING THAT IN PUBLIC?" Is he even Japanese?

"Misaki?" he heard his name called by Usagi. 'Are you okay?' He just realized how awkward his reaction migt have looked. Everyone was staring at him, and not for the first time during the day. Aikawa broke the awkward silence.

"Speaking of Aitken, you should call him Kami."

"Good point Eri." he conceded. He picked up his cell phone and dialed. "With your permission." he said to the group as a whole. No objections. Misaki didn't really listen to the conversation that followed. It would have been improper in the first place. Also, he needed some time to go over the taxing events of the day and take stack of them. Emotionally recuperate and regain focus.'

"Yes, I know Ait, I'm sorry. Really. But I want to help these people." Misaki was thinking about how Usagi held him, what he was feeling then. "Yes...uhm. Rice cake? You're quite good at that! Yes...and some refreshments?...Perhaps you could ask Liz to help."

It was pulsing where he touched him. His heart was racing wildly as if trying to keep the pace with his mind, cataloguing the events of the day.

"Alright, I owe you one! Bye!" Fujiwara finished his call just as they arrived at the Chrysanthemum editorial office.

"I wonder what comes next." Misaki was singularly curious. 

**Author's Note:**

> On the off-chance that someone held out up until this very point - salute! I command your resilience. I plan to add two additional chapters to the work to elaborate and conclude the story. I have a rough sketch, but I'm open to suggestions I might build in. It will not be quick - I never am, but I definitely want to finish this one. 
> 
> Thank you all again!
> 
> *****************************************************************************************************************
> 
> I'd like to express my gratitude to my friend, Casper for drawing my attention to some misspellings. As they say, any mistakes are entirely my own. :)


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